Most American dogs don’t know how to “wait!” before they get their food, but a well-trained dog knows how to “stay!” even when her owner walks away. Other dog commands such as “sit”, “lie down” and “shake” are the same as in Japan.

“I’ve read the explanation for this homework problem eight times but I just can’t wrap my head around it. Can you explain it more clearly?”

In order to understand something difficult or complicated, you must “wrap your head around it” like a big snake coiling around its prey. Wrapping around the problem would allow you to come at it from different angles and get a good understanding of each part.

「宿題のこの問題を8回読んだけど、どうしても理解できないよ。わかりやすく説明してくれない？」

難しいこと、複雑なことを理解するためには、大きな蛇が獲物に巻きつくように、 wrap your head around it 「頭をその事に巻き付ける」必要がありますね。問題を包み込むと様々な角度から見ることができ、全てをよく理解できるはずです。

Someone who is shy is afraid or nervous to meet or interact with people they don’t know well. An introverted person is not necessarily shy, although the two words are sometimes used interchangeably. An introvert is tired by social interactions, not scared.

“I’ve had enough of your constant arguing! If you two can’t get along, go fight somewhere else.”

When you’ve had enough of something, you can’t take it anymore. You’re sick and tired of it. Of course, you can also say, “I’ve had enough,” to indicate that you don’t want any more food when offered seconds.

When you tell your dog to “heel!” he should walk next to you and a little bit behind you. He should keep the same pace and not get ahead of you. Many people haven’t trained their dogs to walk politely. Many dogs have bad manners and pull on the leash when they go on a walk.

“The neighbor’s kid joined the school band. He’s practicing his saxophone all day, but he’s still not any good. The noise is driving me up the wall!”

If you can’t stand something, it can make you restless. If you’re very restless in a small space, you might try to climb the wall. Something that “drives you up the wall” doesn’t literally make you climb the wall, but it really bothers you a lot.

「近所の子供が学校の演奏部に入ったんだ。一日中サックスの練習してるけど、まだまだ下手。この騒音にイライラして仕方ないよ！」

耐えられないことがあると、じっとしていられません。狭い空間でじっとしていられないと、壁をよじ登ろうとするかもしれませんね。 drives you up the wall 「壁を登らせる」は、言葉通りではなく、とても気になってイライラするという意味です。